Anciently these two books were considered but as one. For this we have not only the testimony of Jerome, but also that of the Masoretes, who gave the sum of all the sections, chapters, and verses under one notation at the end of the second book, without mentioning any division; and although the modern Jews divided them, yet they give the Masoretic enumeration of sections as it was given of old; and all editors of the Masoretic Bibles, whether Jewish or Christian, follow the same plan.

These books have had several names. In Hebrew they are denominated dibrey haiyamim; literally, "The Words of the Days," i.e., "The Journals," particularly of the kings of Israel and kings of Judah. But this name does not appear to have been given by the inspired writer.

The Septuagint has "of the things that were left"; supposing that these books were a supplement either to Samuel and to the Books of Kings, or to the whole Bible. To this the Greek translators might have been led by finding that these books in their time closed the Sacred Canon, as they still do in the most correct editions of the Hebrew Bible.

In our English Bibles these books are termed Chronicles, from the Greek chronos, "time," i.e. "A History of Times."

Concerning the author of these books, nothing certain is known. Some think they are the works of different authors; but the uniformity of the style, the connection of the facts, together with the recapitulations and reflections which are often made, prove that they are the work of one and the same person.

The Jews and Christians interpreters in general, believe they were the work of Ezra, assisted by the prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. That Ezra was the author is, on the whole, the most probable opinion. That he lived at the conclusion of the Babylonish captivity is well-known; and the Second Book of Chronicles terminates at that period, barely reciting the decree of Cyrus to permit the return of the captivated Israelites to their own land; which subject is immediately taken up in the book of Ezra, in which the operation of that decree is distinctly marked.

We are not to suppose that these books are the "chronicles of the kings of Judah and Israel" so often referred to in the historical books of the Old Testament; these have been long lost, and the books before us can only be abridgments, either of such chronicles or of works of a similar kind.

That the ancient Jews took great care to register their civil, military, and ecclesiastical transactions is sufficiently evident from frequent reference to such works in the sacred writings; and that these registers were carefully and correctly formed, we learn from the character of the persons by whom they were compiled. They were in general prophets, and seem to have been employed by the kings under whom they lived to compile the annals of their reigns; or most likely this was considered a part of the prophet's regular office.

Though the writer gives many important particulars in the life of David, yet he passes by his adultery with Bath-sheba and all its consequences. He says nothing of the incest of Ammon with his sister Tamar, nor a word of the rebellion and abominations of Absalom. He says very little of the kings of Israel, and takes no notice of what concerned that state, from the capture of Amaziah, king of Judah, by Joash, king of Israel -- 2 Chron. 25:17, etc. And of the last wars of these kings, which terminated in the captivity of the ten tribes, he says not one word!

The principal design of the writer appears to have been this: to point out, from the public registers, which were still preserved, what had been the state of the different families previously to the Captivity, that at their return they might enter on and repossess their respective inheritances. He enters particularly into the functions, genealogies, families, and orders of the priests and Levites; and this was peculiarly necessary after the return from the Captivity, to the end that the worship of God might be conducted in the same way as before, and by the proper, legitimate persons.

He is also very particular relative to what concerns religion, the worship of God, the Temple and its utensils, the kings who authorized or tolerated idolatry, and those who maintained the worship of the true God. In his distribution of praise and blame, these are the qualities which principally occupy his attention and influence his pen.

1 Chronicles 1:1-27. Whose genealogies and family ties are listed in 1 Chronicles 1? (See also Bible Dictionary, p. 678, s.v. "Genealogy")

1 Chronicles 1:28-42. Whose posterity is listed in chapter 1?

1 Chronicles 1:19. What happened in the days of Peleg? (See also D&C 133:24)

1 Chronicles 2:1, 3, 13, 18. Whose posterities are named in 1 Chronicles 2?

1 Chronicles 3:1. Whose sons are named in 1 Chronicles 3?

1 Chronicles 3:10-17. Which successors of Solomon are listed?

1 Chronicles 4:1, 20. Whose families and descendants are chronicled in 1 Chronicles 4?

1 Chronicles 4:2. Who else is named?

1 Chronicles 4:10. What did God grant to Jabez?

1 Chronicles 5:1. Who received Reuben's birthright? Why?

1 Chronicles 5:24-26. Who did the Assyrians carry into captivity? Why?

1 Chronicles 6:1. Whose sons are listed in 1 Chronicles 6?

1 Chronicles 6:49. What did Aaron and his sons do?

1 Chronicles 7:1, 6, 13, 14, 20, 30. Whose sons and families are named in 1 Chronicles 7?

1 Chronicles 8:1. Whose sons and chief men are named in 1 Chronicles 8?

1 Chronicles 9:1. How were the people of Israel reckoned?

1 Chronicles 9:3. The inhabitants of which city are listed in 1 Chronicles 9?

1 Chronicles 9:39. Whose family is named?

1 Chronicles 10:2. What happened to the sons of Saul in the battle with the Philistines?

1 Chronicles 10:3-4. What did Saul do after being wounded?

1 Chronicles 10:7. What did the men of Israel do?

1 Chronicles 10:8-10. What did the Philistines do with Saul?

1 Chronicles 10:11-12. What did the valiant men of Jabesh-gilead do?

1 Chronicles 10:13-14. Why did Saul die? (See also 1 Samuel 13:9-14; 15:17-23; 28:6-8)

1 Chronicles 11:3. What did the elders of Israel do after David made a covenant with them?

1 Chronicles 11:9. How was David able to “[wax] greater and greater”? (1 Chronicles 11:9)

1 Chronicles 11:11. What did Jashobeam do?

1 Chronicles 11:17-19. What did the three mighty men do when David was thirsty?

1 Chronicles 12:1-15. Whose mighty men are listed?

1 Chronicles 12:16-38. Who joined David at Hebron?

1 Chronicles 12:38. Who rejoiced in King David?

1 Chronicles 13:1-3. What did David propose to Israel?

1 Chronicles 13:9-10. Why did the Lord smite Uzza?

1 Chronicles 13:11-13. Why did David leave the ark in the house of Obed-edom?

1 Chronicles 13:14. What did the Lord do to the house of Obed-edom while the ark of God was there?

1 Chronicles 14:1-3. What did David do at Jerusalem? (See also D&C 132:38-39)

1 Chronicles 14:8-12, 13-17. What did David do when the Philistines came? when they came again?

1 Chronicles 15:2, 12-13. Why did David tell the Levites to sanctify themselves?

1 Chronicles 15:15-16, 28. How did Israel bring the ark into Jerusalem?

1 Chronicles 15:29. Why did Michal despise David? (See 2 Samuel 6:20c)

1 Chronicles 16:2-4. What did David do when he finished his offerings?

1 Chronicles 16:7. What did David deliver into the hand of Asaph and his brethren?

1 Chronicles 16:8-36. What counsel did David give in his psalm?

1 Chronicles 16:37. What were Asaph and his brethren to do?

1 Chronicles 17:1. What did David desire to do?

1 Chronicles 17:4-15. What did the Lord say to Nathan the prophet?

1 Chronicles 17:23-27. What did David ask of the Lord?

1 Chronicles 18:6. How was David able to smite all the adversaries of Israel?

1 Chronicles 18:11. What did David do with the silver and gold he acquired?

1 Chronicles 18:14. What did David do as he reigned over all Israel?

1 Chronicles 19:2-4. How did Hanun, king of the Ammonites, treat David's servants? Why?

1 Chronicles 19:6-7. How did the king seek to protect himself from David?

1 Chronicles 19:11-13. What did Joab say to his brother Abishai?

1 Chronicles 19:14-15. What did the Syrians and the Ammonites do?

1 Chronicles 19:17-18. What did David do to the Syrians when they came again?

1 Chronicles 20:1-3. What did David and Joab do to the Ammonites and their cities?

1 Chronicles 20:5. Whom did Elhanan slay?

1 Chronicles 20:6-7. Whom did Jonathan slay?

1 Chronicles 21:1-8. How did David sin against the Lord?

1 Chronicles 21:5. How many men were in Israel?

1 Chronicles 21:5. How many men were in Judah?

1 Chronicles 21:9-12. What three punishments were given David to choose from?

1 Chronicles 21:13-14. Which one did David choose?

1 Chronicles 21:14. How many men died?

1 Chronicles 21:26. What did David build on the threshing floor where the angel stopped?

1 Chronicles 22:2-5. 14-15. What did David do to prepare for building the temple? Why?

1 Chronicles 22:6, 11-13, 16. What did David charge his son Solomon to do?

1 Chronicles 22:7-10. Why did David not build the temple?

1 Chronicles 22:12-13. What was required of Solomon for him to prosper?

1 Chronicles 22:17-19. What did David say to the princes of Israel?

1 Chronicles 23:1. Whom did David make king over Israel?

1 Chronicles 23:3-5, 27-32. What were the Levites assigned to do?

1 Chronicles 24:1-3. 20. Who were divided into groups? (See also Bible Dictionary, p. 599, s.v. “Aaronic Priesthood”)

1 Chronicles 24:5, 31. How were they assigned their duties?

1 Chronicles 25:1. In 1 Chronicles 25 who were assigned duties?

1 Chronicles 26:17-19. Who were assigned to be porters?

1 Chronicles 26:20-32. List three duties they had.

1 Chronicles 271, 16-22. What two groups are named in 1 Chronicles 27?

1 Chronicles 28:2-8. What five things did David tell those he assembled at Jerusalem?

1 Chronicles 28:9-10, 20-21. What counsel did David give to Solomon?

1 Chronicles 28:11-19. What did David give to Solomon?

1 Chronicles 29:1-5. How had David prepared for the house of the Lord?

1 Chronicles 29:5. What did David ask of the congregation?

1 Chronicles 29:6-9. How did the leaders respond?

1 Chronicles 29:10-19. List six things we learn from David's prayer to the Lord.

1 Chronicles 29:25. How did the Lord magnify Solomon in the sight of all Israel?